Automobile door latch



1942, H. w; RIGHMER 2,219,290

AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH .Filed Sep't. so, 1939 gnaw (0% MAM.

Patented Apr. 7, 1942 AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH Holden W. Rightmyer, Toledo,Ohio, assignor .to

The American Swiss Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of OhioApplication September 30, 1939, Serial No. 297,269

7 Claims.

This invention relates to door latchesbut particularly to latches foruse on motor vehicles, and an object is to produce a new and improveddoor latch structure in which the bolt nose is pivotally mounted on thecase plate and in which provision is made for compensating against wearof the pivotal mounting, thereby to eliminate rat'-' tles and vibration,and further in which the movement of the bolt nose to latching positionis cushioned so that a stop is provided for the movement of the boltnose in a latching direction.

This application constitutes a continuation-inpart of my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 225,379, filed August 1'1, 1938, now Patent No.2,178,530, October 31, 1939.

For purposes of illustration but not of limitation an embodiment of theinvention is shown on the accompanying drawing in. which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a door latch and its keeper, portions of the structurebeing broken away, such, for example, as the inside operated remotecontrol unit and the key-actuated dogging mechanism;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view substan- Figure 4 is atransverse sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a latch boltcasing having a main plate In which is mounted in any suitable manner onthe vehicle door. The main plate has an outwardly inclined face orselvage plate formed with an opening l2 to admit a pivoted latch bolt |3which, as indicated in Figure 2, is adapted to cooperate with the keeper|4 suitably secured by screws IE to the body structure l6 of thevehicle. The keeper includes an outwardly extending ridge H which isadapted to cooperate with the belt I3 to provide the usual safety catchand spaced laterally from the ridge l1 and. projecting a greaterdistance from the body structure I6 is a ridge IS with which the latchbolt engages when the door I9 is fully closed. Only portions of the doorl9 and body I6 are illustrated but these will be sufficient toillustrate the manner in which the parts are mounted in position of use.

The latch bolt l3 comprises a pair of side walls and 2|, a curved keeperengaging wall 22 and a curved outer wall 23, which initially engages thekeeper upon slamming of the door. The bolt I3 is pivotally mounted onthe pin 24 which extends through openings in the inner end of the boltand also through openings formed in laterally spaced cars 25 and 26which are preferably struck out of the case plate Ill. The pin 24' isformed of metal harder than that of which plates l0 and II are formed,and is provided at one end with a head 21 and has its oppositeend upsetas indicated at 28, a washer 29 being interposed between the upset endand the adjacent ear 26. As particularly shown on Figures 4 and 5, thewasher 29 and head 21 are generally annular in shape but each is formedwith a 'flattened portion 3|] which abuts against the face plate II forconvenience in assembly.

Directly in rear of the head 21 and washer 29 and forming a backtherefor is an embossed portion 3| extending outwardly from the mainplate I0 and positioned to absorb some of the shock imparted to the pin24 by the latch bolt |3 during the slamming of the door or otheractuation of the latch bolt.

Spaced outwardly from the pin 24 and extending through the side walls 20and 2| of the latch bolt is a pin 32 having upset ends 33. The pin 32engages in a groove 34 of a bolt plate extension 35 which extendsinwardly and rearwardly as indicated on Figure 2 and has a strengtheningrib36. The extension 35 is integral with the bolt plate 31 which ismounted for sliding move- 7 ments over the main plate ID. A spiralspring 38 has one end anchored to the main plate l0 and the opposite endof the spring 38 engages an ear 39 struck out of the bolt plate 31. Itwill be apparent that the spring 38 urges the bolt plate 31 to the leftof Figure 1 and yieldingly urges the latch bolt |3 to its normal orprojected latching position. Guiding of the bolt 31 is accomplished by astud 40 which is secured to the main plate I0 and has its shank disposedin a longitudinally elongate slot 4| formed in the bolt plate. The stud40 cooperates with the slot 4| in limiting the movement of the boltplate 31.

into a longitudinally elongate slot SI'VIormed in the bolt plate 31.

Pivotally connected to the outer end of the slide 50 is a link 53 whichextends to a suitable remote control mechanism (not shown) disposed onthe inside of the door and which has the usual operating handle forretracting the latch bolt and for actuating the slide to dog or blockmovement of the outside operated handle as will hereinafter appear.

Formed on the forward end of the slide 50 is a finger 54 which ismovable into a position be neath an arm 55 of the outside operatedrollback.

ation may be effected without departing from the a pair of laterallyspaced ears carried by said selvage plate, a pin passing through holesformed therefor in said ears providing a pivotal mounting for said boltnose, and members on opposite end portions of said pin to retain same oasaia earsfrespectively, said members being adapted to abutagainst theadjacent plate member inthe event of enlargement of the holes in a theears due to wear.

bolt 13 as will be readily understood. The detail construction of theroll back 56 is well=known to those skilled in this art and since itforms no part of the present invention, detail description andillustration is not considered necessary. A spiral laterally from theside wall of the latch bolt."

The inner face of tl'ie fiange BI adapted to engage a rubber bumperwhich is 'inour'i'tedoh the face plate ll. As'shown in Figure3,'a'i1otch"63 projects from the opening l2 in the face plate 'i I toenable mountingof the bumper which ismade up of a body portion 62,reduced neck 64 and an outer annular head 65. llnmountingthebilmper, theneck 64 is forced'into the notch. 63, the head being disposed on theouter side of the face plate and the rubber body 62 on the inside of theface plate.

In the operation of the above described latch, it will be apparent thatthe latch bolt can befreel tracted from theoutside of the'door byoperation of the roll back 56. By rotating the roll. back, the arm 58engages the shoulder orflange 59 and forces the bolt plate 31 to theright of Figure 1 against the ;force of the spring38 and thereby causingthe latch bolt 13 to rock upon its pivot 24 throughlthe connectionsdescribed,

side of the door, the link 53 is 'moved'to the right Figural e e j e inmo emnts t r l 50 arid retraction of the bolt plate 3'I throughthe lug50' upon engagement thereof with the inner end of the slot 5l'.

In order to retract the latch bolt frointhe inment ofthe latter.Whe'njth'efollbakisfdogged;

the mg 50' is disposed ihabuttihgr latithto the forward end orthesiott'l thatupehsiamm hg of the door, the bolt platenisinoveatothe-right or the figure, thereby orcing 'the 111g 50'' to'tlieright. This action eirects' movement oi'the'fingr 54 away'from therollback." Itwill thus'beapparentthat sum-unlocking s-tbtained,

2. In a vehicle door latch, a main plate, a selvage plate projecting atan angle from one side ot'said main plate and having an opening therein,Said plates being formed of sheet metal, a bolt noseifioiinted forpivotal movements to and from latching position'through said opening, apair. of laterally spaced ears carried bysaid selvage plate, a pinforiiied of metal harder than the metal of which said plates are formedpassing through holes in said ears providing a pivotal mounting forsaidb'oltnose, and members on opposite end portions of said pin toretain same on said ears, said members being adapted to abut against theadjacent plate member in the event of enlargement of the holes in theears due 'to wear.

3. In a vehicle door latch, a main plate, a selvage plate projecting atan angle from one s'idexof said main plate and having an openingtherein, a bolt-nose mounted for pivotal movements to and from latchingposition through said openingya pair of laterally spaced ears struck outof-said selvage plate, a pin passing through "holes formed therefor'insaid ears'providing a pivotal mounting for said bolt nose, members onopposite end portions of said pin to retain same on saidearsrespectively, and a projection on onelfof said plates for each memberand against which same is adapted-to abut upon enlargementof the holesin theears due to wear.

4. In a vehicle door latch, a main "plate, a selvage plate projecting atan angle from one side of said main plate 'an d having an openingtherein, a .bolt nose mounted for pivotal movements to and from latchingposition through said opening, a pair of laterally spaced earsstruck'out or said selvage plate, 'a pin passing through holes "in saidears providing a pivotal mounting for said -bolt nose, members onopposite ehdpo'r'tioiisbf said pin to retain same on said earsandanintegrallprojection'of c'oncavoconvex cross section" on onefof saidplates for each member and against the convex side of which the membersare adapted to abut upon enlargement of-theholes'in the ears dueto'wear. (In-a vehicle door latch, a main plate, a selvage platerprojecting at an angle from one sideof ssaid main plate and having anopening therein,-a bolt nose mounted 'for pivotal movementsto and fromlatching position through said opening, a pair'of laterally spaced earscarried by said selvage :plate, a pin passing through holes formedtherefor in said ears providing a pivotal -mounting for said bolt nose,members on opposite end portions of. said pin to retain same "oh-saidears, and means on the adjacent adapted to abut in the event ofenlargement of the holes in the ears due to wear.

6. In a vehicle door latch, a main plate, a

flanged face plate, on said main plate, a'spring tensioned bolt nosemovable through an aperture in said face plate, ears carried by one ofsaid plates, a pivotal pin for said nose,'means to retain the pin onsaid ears, and means on one of said plates against which the retainingmeans of said pin is adapted to impinge to absorb 10

